MCP servers: what they are and where to find them

An MCP server is a program that lets an AI agent query a database, call an API or use another outside tool. The public list lives in the official MCP Registry at registry.modelcontextprotocol.io. SkillTrove does not list MCP servers. This guide explains what a server does, how it differs from a skill, and how to add one to Claude Code.

What is an MCP server?

MCP is short for Model Context Protocol, an open-source standard for connecting AI apps to outside systems. The server is the connector. In Claude Code, the servers you add give the agent access to your databases and APIs while it works on your task.

How is an MCP server different from a skill?

A skill is a folder of instructions. An MCP server is code that runs and hands the agent new tools. You often want both. A skill can teach the agent how to use the tools that a server provides. See skills vs MCP for the side-by-side table.

Where can I find MCP servers?

Start with the MCP Registry. Its README calls it an app store for MCP servers, and it gives MCP clients a list of published servers to pull from. It is still in preview, and the team warns that breaking changes or data resets may occur. If you built a server and want it listed, use the mcp-publisher tool, because a pull request to the repo will not publish it.

The modelcontextprotocol/servers repo on GitHub holds seven reference servers: Everything, Fetch, Filesystem, Git, Memory, Sequential Thinking and Time. The repo says they exist to teach developers how MCP works, and it says they are not meant to be used as production-ready tools.

Anthropic also keeps a directory of reviewed connectors for Claude, and any remote server listed there can go into Claude Code with claude mcp add.

How do I add an MCP server to Claude Code?

A remote server takes one command with its URL. This command adds Notion.

claude mcp add --transport http notion https://mcp.notion.com/mcp

A local server runs as a process on your own machine, so you put its start command after a double dash:

claude mcp add memory -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-memory

By default, a server loads only in the current project and stays private to you. The scope flag can change that.

claude mcp add --scope project ...   # saved in .mcp.json for your team
claude mcp add --scope user ...      # available in all of your projects

Is it safe to install any MCP server?

It is not. Check that you trust each server before you connect it, because a server that fetches web content can expose you to prompt injection.

FAQ

Does SkillTrove list MCP servers?

It does not. SkillTrove lists SKILL.md skills only, so use the MCP Registry for servers.

Are the reference servers good for daily use?

They are not. The repo says they are built to show how MCP works. Learn from them.

Can a skill install an MCP server for me?

A plugin can. When you install a plugin, it can bring its own MCP servers along with its skills.